A video surfaced on Thursday (July 30) of a thousand musicians, dubbed "The Rockin'1000," playing the FOO FIGHTERS hit "Learn to Fly" as a way to ask the band to come and play in Cesena, Italy. FOO FIGHTERS responded via their Twitter account, writing, "Che bello, Cesena," which translates to "How lovely, Cesena" or "How nice, Cesena." The band, however, did not commit to performing in the town.

A previous fan attempt to get the band to play in Richmond, Virginia, by raising money through the sale of tickets, was met with success as the band performed there last September.

Meanwhile, frontman Dave Grohl denied rumors that the FOO FIGHTERS were already signed up to headline next year's Glastonbury Festival in the U.K. after missing last month's event due to Grohl's broken leg.

Grohl told Q magazine, "I read all of those articles saying we confirmed for next year and just laughed. Total fucking bullshit. Of course, I'd love to come back and play Glastonbury! But don't believe everything that you read, kids…"

The FOO FIGHTERS will begin the next leg of their North American tour on August 12 in Edmonton, Canada. After breaking his leg in a stage fall in Sweden last month, Grohl has played the first part of the trek while seated on a light-up throne with his leg in a cast.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, a previously unheard demo recording by late NIRVANA frontman Kurt Cobain will turn up on the soundtrack of the documentary "Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck" when it is released in theaters next Friday (August 7). Director Brett Morgen told Billboard that he added the song, which features Cobain singing in a falsetto, to the movie without having to make any changes to the film. "Montage Of Heck" had a brief theatrical run last spring before premiering on HBO in May.

Morgen did not want to say where in the film the song appears, explaining, "I don't want to get people out there bootlegging it on their cell phones."

The track, like many of the songs used for the movie from the cassettes in Cobain's personal archive, does not have a title, although it might have been recorded in 1991.

Although "Montage Of Heck" played on HBO and has been nominated for seven Emmy Awards, Morgen said it was "built as a theatrical experience, so we decided we would bring the film back into theaters."

Morgen built the movie around recordings taken from 107 cassettes that Cobain recorded over a period of many years, equaling around 200 hours of audio, as well as previously unseen artwork by the singer/guitarist.

Morgen told The Pulse Of Radio that he could not believe how much material Cobain created in his relatively short life. "I'd never met anyone who was as prolific as he was," he said. "I mean, given his short life span and that a lot of that time, he didn't have a secure home, the amount of materials that we have present a guy who just never stopped creating, and that is beyond inspirational."

Morgen was given complete access to Cobain's personal archives by his widow Courtney Love and daughter Frances Bean Cobain.

Fresh off the heels of their first main stage festival performance at the UK’s annual Ramblin’ Man Fair and sharing stage with stalwart acts such as Scorpions and Dream Theater, the members of hard rock act Toseland - featuring James Toseland (vocals), Zurab Melua (guitar), Ed Bramford (guitar), Roger Davis (bass) and Joe Yoshida (drums) - are elated for the release of their debut album, Renegade, set to hit shelves in North America this fall.

Scheduled for release on September 18th via Metalville Records, Toseland’s first full-length effort titled Renegade, which has sold over 10,000 copies in the UK alone, is an album packed with powerful rock songs – from the balls out album opener “Life Is Beautiful” to “Crash Landing” and title track “Renegade”, showing this is a band who know how to rock a melody.

If the name seems familiar, it is because Toseland are a band fronted by two-time World Superbike Champion James Toseland. Throughout his career as a motorbike racer, music has been central to James’ life – so much so that he performed live at BBC’s Sports Personality Of the Year. When James was forced to retire through injury a journey into music started…

After a friend had recommended they might work well together, James met up with Toby Jepson (Little Angels) in March 2012. Jepson had no idea of Toseland’s past but they clicked - personally and musically.

Having an idea of the sound they wanted along with the foundation of several songs, the writing process was quick and the pair soon laid down instrumentation at Vale Studios with Jepson producing (credits include The Answer, Saxon and The Virginmarys) and Steve Harris (Foo Fighters, U2) as engineer. James plays all piano on the album and vocals were recorded in five days at Jepson’s studio in Scarborough.

“I'm so excited that my debut album, Renegade, is going to be released through Metalville Records in America!,” says James. “We are hopeful that America will connect with our music as the band and myself would love to perform there. We can't wait to hear their feedback on the album.”

Having already forged themselves a name as a powerful live act; 2013 -2014 saw the group cross the UK with a series of headline shows and supports (to Reef, The Darkness, and Little Angels) and festival dates (Download, Planet Rockstock and the Moto GP at Silverstone).

A brand new cover of Attitude Adjustment’s “Working Class Pride" has been made available by Italy’s Resurrecturis. The band dared a very intense take on an old 80's American hardcore classic that in the hands of the Italian monsters turns into a savage ride with tinges of grindcore and black metal fury.

The song was recorded live at Lullaby Studio during one band rehearsal and was completed with the addition of vocal lines by former Resu-vocalist Ivan Di Marco (now with HC legends Straight Opposition) and bass tracks by Marco Morosini (ex-Eversor, ex-The Miles Apart, now with old school death metallers, Mannaia).

"Since our forthcoming album, Nazienda, deals with work and office life, I thought "Working Class Pride" by Attitude Adjustment fitted perfectly with what we were working on. It's a pretty old song that not many younger kids are familiar with. But it's a fantastic tune and the lyrics are also great and pretty unusual when it comes to 80's US HC. We sped up the song a bit and added some contemporary undertones, to make it sound more interesting. Besides we were very glad to spend some time with two friends from the old days who also happen to be respected personalities of the Italian HC scene." - Carlo Strappa / Resurrecturis

"Working Class Pride" can be heard below. For the moment there are no plans for an official physical release. Resurrecturis also took the time to create a customized Attitude Adjustment-inspired logo which, in true punk fashion, is ironic and meaningful at one time.

Resurrecturis will release their new album, Nazienda, on September 25th via Mighty Music.

The album-title, “Nazienda”, a neologism that merges the words “nazism” and “azienda” (Italian for company, corporation), sets a tone that is tragic and ironic at the same time. Just listen to the song “10:30 Animals In The Meeting Room”: solid and fierce metallic extremism with crazy animal verses going cuckoo.

The songs run through the routine of a typical working day, each number even bearing an indication of the hour in the title: from the irritating buzz of the alarm early in the morning until the character slips into unconsciousness on the couch in front of the TV. In-between a flood of annoying phone calls, company meetings, work on the PC, solidarity among colleagues and introspective reflections.

The album was produced and engineered by Alessandro Vagnoni (Dark Lunacy, Bologna Violenta, Infernal Poetry, Darkside). Nazienda - Graphic Novel written by Carlo Strappa and drawn by Albano Scevola also available.

Front cover by Italian artist Daniele Cudini:

Nazienda tracklisting:

“6:29 Sleeping With Your Hair Spread Over My Chest”
“6:30 The Alarm”
“07:12 On The Way To Work”
“08:01 The Number You Have Dialed”
“10:30 Animals In The Meeting Room”
“13:00 Lunch Break Alienation”
“14:16 Col-League-S”
“16:00 The Thought That Something Went Wrong With My Life”
“16:59 Never Happy”
“19:12 Two Half Lives Don’t Make One”
“23:31 Falling Asleep On The Couch”

Hailing from the capital of Germany, five-piece wrecking crew Toxpack have announced a worldwide signing with Napalm Records. Featuring some of the heaviest streetpunk/streetcore in the world and already with plenty of miles on their backs, Toxpack is now ready to take the next step together with Napalm Records.

Founded in 2001 the band quickly found its own path and stayed strongly focused with shows all over Europe, chart entries and intensive work on their music, releasing seven studio albums so far. Their latest album Friss (2014) entered the German Media Control album charts at #16.
Now, it’s time for something bigger, for something even more powerful and intense.

Toxpack on the singing with Napalm Records: "2016 marks the 15th anniversary of Toxpack! There’s definitely some heavy streetcore on the way on this highly promising journey! We’re totally stoked to have finally found a strong partner with Napalm Records, which absolutely marks a new milestone in the Toxpack history!”

DEFTONES are completing the mixing process for their as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2012's "Koi No Yokan" album for a tentative September 25 release. The band's keyboardist/DJ Frank Delgado told Diffuser last week about the songwriting process for the new CD: "This one was different. This one was a lot of starting and stopping, which I think is something we would've been scared of before."

He continued: "For the last couple of records, we went in and we started writing and we didn't stop until we finished the record. This one we took our time and it was a good pace. Everyone needed that break to breathe, to go home to family. Now we're ready to be able to work like this. It allowed us to think about things longer as opposed to get something done by a deadline."

Delgado added: "We're actually really good when we get together and find something that's cool. It's just a matter of hanging out long enough and waiting for it to happen. You can't really force it, know what I mean? You can make your environment as comfortable as possible. Sometimes a lot of things come fast and sometimes it doesn't."

DEFTONES drummer Abe Cunningham concurred, telling Diffuser: "As long as the goal is there with everyone to complete something. Before, it's kind of typical with any band where you have your allotted time — here's a month or a month and a half — to be creative even if you're not. This was a nice way to just have breathers with family and just be normal."

Asked how the new DEFTONES album represents an evolution for the band, or if it calls back to previous CDs, Cunningham said: "I don't think you can help sounding like yourself, and there's nothing wrong with sounding like yourself. We love sonics and we love the whole spectrum of it. From the very get-go, our first album had little bits and these things became more prevalent later on in our records, you know? It's a heavy guitar-based band but with so much more."

Added Delgado: "If the songs come out heavy or if they come out softer, there's never been any set precedence of what we need to do or what we think is lacking, or what we think people want. It's literally just trying to make stuff that we like. It's selfish but that's kind of what's been happening."

As previously reported, DEFTONES has tapped Jerry Cantrell (ALICE IN CHAINS) to lay down a guest guitar solo on the band's new album. Cantrell told Metal Hammer about how his contribution came together: "DEFTONES and I have known each other for years, and we're also under the same management. Chino [Moreno, DEFTONES singer] sent over the song file and I thought it was really great, cool and moody, so I worked on it that night and threw something down. He sent me a file of them jamming the song live, I sent it back with the idea I laid down, and Chino thought it was perfect. I waited until they got back in the studio and then came in and laid it down. So, it was pretty easy, and I think it's going to be a great song."

He added: "Chino's a really talented guy and an amazing frontman, and they're a band that has a sound that's uniquely their own."

According to Moreno, sixteen songs were written for DEFTONES' new CD, which was once again produced by Matt Hyde (SLAYER, CHILDREN OF BODOM, MONSTER MAGNET, WINDS OF PLAGUE).

On July 26, Planet Mosh TV conducted an interview with German metal queen Doro Pesch at this year's edition of the Steelhouse Festival at Hafod-y-Dafal Farm, near Ebbw Vale in South Wales. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked when fans can expect to hear the follow-up to her 2012 album "Raise Your Fist", Doro said: "We will finish a new DVD. That's the 30th-anniversary DVD. The whole year we filmed. And it's called 'Strong & Proud'. That will be released in March next year, I think the 4th of March. And we're working on a new album, but [it will be] maybe one more years until it's all done."

She continued: "We were on tour and on the road non-stop. When you're doing a festival or when you're playing a gig, I always concentrate on making the people feel good that day and you are in a totally different mindframe to do a record. I have to take a little time off touring. But touring is, to me, the best — I love it the most. But we have some great songs in the making. So maybe this year we wanna put out a single. I think there's a killer song. I wanna do a video of that song, maybe like a little mini-movie or something. Since I'm from the '80s, I want all these big videos, and maybe we have to do some crowdfunding or something, because nobody wants to have a video anymore. I think the record company doesn't want [to pay for it]. But I wanna do it. I think the song calls for [a video like that]. So maybe [we'll release] an EP or a single this year. But next year [we'll put out] the [full-length] record, and a DVD. And there'll be a live CD as well and three DVDs, or two Blu-rays. So it's a big thing, [with], any guests. Of course, Biff [Byford] of SAXON is on it. And so many friends."

Bob Suehs of Rock N Roll Experience conducted an interview with new RED DRAGON CARTEL singer Shawn Crosby (ex-JONES STREET) on July 23 at Fish Head Cantina in Halethorpe, Maryland. You can now watch the chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On how he got the singer gig in RED DRAGON CARTEL:

"Well, it's a long story. I thought I was retiring. I was in L.A. for thirty years, and I moved back to my hometown in Virginia. Anthony Esposito, the bass player for LYNCH MOB [and RED DRAGON CARTEL], called me up and said [RED DRAGON CARTEL] got rid of their singer and they needed somebody quick. So, I opened a skateboard shop in Alexandria, Virginia and closed it up and came out on tour, and I've been on tour since. So… I've known him since way before he was in LYNCH MOB back in the day."

On whether he is RED DRAGON CARTEL's permanent singer now:

"I don't know. We'll see. They say, 'Fifth time's the charm,' you know. I was really good friends with Ray Gillen [late BADLANDS and BLACK SABBATH singer]. I helped him… We used to write lyrics together a lot and stuff, and it's really just good to be able to walk in his footsteps now. It's very spiritual for me, and I'm having a great time doing it. My favorite stuff to sing is all the BADLANDS stuff. It's my gig. I love that stuff. Yeah, if it goes all well… you know."

On how he got to know Ray Gillen:

"I was one of the first guys he met when he moved out to L.A. from New York, and we just became hardcore friends. I used to work on Melrose, and I used to make guitar straps for John Sykes and all the heavy hitters back then. And Ray came in one day, and we just hit it off as singers together. We'd just write every day. He'd bring a notebook to work, and we'd sit and park and write stuff on my break and stuff, and that's how we became friends. Nd I would go to the rehearsals. And my band JONES STREET back then opened for them a bunch of times — BADLANDS — so we just always stayed tight."

On whether he has a handwritten letter from Ray Gillen that carries with him on the road:

"I do. It's… One day he came in and I wasn't there — I was on a lunch break — and he [wrote], 'Hey, Shawn. I don't know if you've checked out the new CD. If not, I'll bring one by for ya. I hope your singing's going great.' And it said, 'Ray Gillen.' And I found it in my storage literally a week — exactly a week — before these guys [RED DRAGON CARTEL] called me. And I just said, 'Ah, this is cool. I forgot I had this. I'm gonna bring it to the house.' And then Anthony called me [about the RED DRAGON CARTEL gig]. And I keep it with me on the road. So…. it's very cool."

"Jake is amazing. He's a quiet guy; he keeps to himself. [He's] an amazing person. The whole band's almost like a family. I just feel like… I've known Anthony forever. I didn't know the other guys, but it just all has meshed really well together. You know, 'cause you do have to spend 23 more hours off stage with these people. And that's the hardest thing to do — to be able to not get in anybody's face and everything. On a tour bus, it can get that way, but… we're having a great time.'

On whether he intentionally tries to look like Ray Gillen on stage:

"It's funny, 'cause I've been a blond almost my whole life, even though my hair is dark. And when I got divorced, I said, 'I'm gonna [make] a change.' That was, like, five years ago. I've always worn heavy shirts, like Ray did, and the jeans. That's just [my look]. I did not fathom at all — 'cause I'm five-seven; Ray was, like six-two — so… I did not fathom at all that I would be getting the 'He's channeling Ray.' 'Cause that's not it at all. Ray and I were great friends. I had blond hair the whole time. I just went black when I got divorced and said, 'I wanna do a new look.' And it's funny, because the new look… The black hair… I've got quarter Navajo in me, so I've got very dark hair. And once I got older, I just said, 'I don't wanna keep doing the blond thing. It's, like, a midlife crisis.' So I went black, and I've been getting great stuff ever since. So I should have done that a long time ago. But, yeah… [I'm] nowhere near trying to channel Ray whatsoever. I've been channeling him, but not on purpose. It just happened to fall that way. And the way that photographs have caught me is kind of cool that they caught me that way, but it wasn't intentional… I love Ray. He was one of my… He's still my favorite singer of all time. So to be able to… like I said, to be able to sing his music, as well as being with Jake, it's just great. I personally wish we could do all BADLANDS material, 'cause I can sing that all day long."

RED DRAGON CARTEL most recently played several shows with Canadian singer Paul D'Eath (CITIZENS UNITE, MUSHROOM TRAIL). Prior to that, the band was fronted by Chas West (Jason Bonham, LYNCH MOB, 3 LEGGED DOGG), Michael Beck and Darren James Smith, the latter of whom handled lead vocals on RED DRAGON CARTEL's self-titled debut album.

Beck made headlines in April when he sang the lyrics to Osbourne's "Now You See It (Now You Don't)" while the rest of RED DRAGON CARTEL played "The Ultimate Sin" at their first show together in Miami, Florida. Beck later blamed the mixup on the fact that he "had no monitors at all" and he "couldn't hear anything."

RED DRAGON CARTEL in March announced the departure of bassist Greg Chaisson, who exited the group because he could "no longer take any more time away from [his] regular job."

RED DRAGON CARTEL's debut CD sold around 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 69 on The Billboard 200 chart.

RED DRAGON CARTEL's setlist includes new material like the singles "Feeder" and "Deceived", as well as major hits from Jake E. Lee's glorious past: "Bark At The Moon", "The Ultimate Sin" and "Rock 'N' Roll Rebel" (all originally recorded by OZZY OSBOURNE), as well as "Shine On" and "High Wire" (BADLANDS).

As soon as AEROSMITH wraps up its tour in early August, the band's guitarist, Brad Whitford, will finish work on his second album with Derek St. Holmes, the voice of such early TED NUGENT songs as "Stranglehold" and "Dog Eat Dog".

The first WHITFORD-ST. HOLMES album came out in 1981.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, Whitford and St. Holmes reconnected after Whitford moved to Nashville, where St. Holmes lives.

In a video below posted on AEROSMITH's web site, Whitford says he and St. Holmes cut nine tracks in two days with bass player Charlie Anderson and TESLA drummer Troy Luccketta.

GUNS N' ROSES drummer Frank Ferrer was interviewed on this week's (July 29) episode of "The Geoff Lenox Show" on Stone Chrome Radio. During the chat, Ferrer discussed his career, the recent resignation of GUNS N' ROSES guitarist D.J. Ashba, and gave an inside look at life as a current member of GUNS N' ROSES.

Asked about some fans' speculation that Ashba exited GUNS N' ROSES after getting news from GUNS N' ROSES lead singer Axl Rose about the future of the band, Ferrer said: "No, [we did] not [get any] new news, other than we're still forging ahead. But not any, like, you know… It's not really news. It's, like, there's a plan in place, and it's happening, so that's all I can say."

He continued: "I haven't spoken to D.J., but apparently D.J. would just, like… he'd rather do other stuff right now, which is cool. I mean, everything he said in that letter [announcing his departure] is true. I mean, he has a great relationship with the bandmembers and with Axl. Everything's good."

Ashba issued a statement on Monday (July 27) saying that he was leaving GUNS N' ROSES. His statement read in part, "It is with a very heavy heart and yet great pride that I announce that I've decided to close this chapter of my life and encapsulate the wonderful times that I've shared with GUNS N' ROSES into fond memories. I have reached a point in my life where I feel its time to dedicate myself to my band SIXX: A.M., my adoring wife and family, and to the many new adventures that the future holds for me."

Ashba added: "I want to take a moment to thank Axl from the bottom of my heart for not only the most incredible experience of my life, but for truly believing in me. You are a true friend and a champion of mine and I am forever grateful. And even as I move on to pursue other endeavors, I will always remain one of your biggest fans. I also would like to thank each and every one of you fans for your love and support throughout the years."

Ashba said earlier in his statement that working with GUNS N' ROSES was "the most incredible journey I could have possibly imagined."

Ashba joined GUNS N' ROSES in March 2009 following the departure of Robin Finck.

Ashba was accused by fans of the original lineup of "trying to be Slash," to which he replied in a May 2014 interview with Unskinny Pop, "Well, that's not true in any way… I have a lot of respect for what he's done for the band as far as his guitar work and stuff. I grew up loving the band and that whole thing is kind of weird to me."

Ashba hinted last year that GUNS N' ROSES had recording and touring plans on tap for 2015, none of which have materialized.

Another GUNS guitarist, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, recently revealed that he was focusing on his solo career after spending eight years playing in the band. His status with the group remains unclear.

Rose is the only original member of GUNS N' ROSES still in the current lineup, which has toured intermittently since 2006 and played its second Las Vegas residency last year.

GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal recently revealed that he was focusing on his solo career after spending eight years playing in the Axl Rose-fronted band. Thal, however, stopped short of saying that he was no longer a member of GUNS N' ROSES, which has caused some fans to criticize him for not coming clean about where he stands with the group.

Asked by journalist Gary Graff to clarify his status with GUNS N' ROSES, Thal said: "That is the thing I am not to elaborate on. I think there's enough clues out there for you to figure out what I'm up to now."

He continued: "I'm a real busy guy and really enjoying everything I'm doing, and I think that everything I'm doing has a future and a bigger plan — the solo stuff, the other bands, the producing, the charity and educational things I'm doing. These are all the things I love that I've really missed, and I'm very happy to be putting my time back into that. It's really what I should be doing."

Bumblefoot joined GUNS N' ROSES in early 2006 as the replacement for Buckethead. He made his live debut with the band at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on May 12, 2006.

Back in 2013, Bumblefoot expressed his frustration over the fact that GUNS N' ROSES had not made any new music since the release of 2008's "Chinese Democracy". He said: "If something came out at this point, it would be very old material that is just being released now. So it would be unheard material, but to me, I don't consider that a new record, I consider that just releasing old material from a band that doesn't exist anymore. And we need to make an album of this band right now." He added: "I'm all about making music; that's why I make music — to make music. So I'd like to really do that. I would be very happy if GUNS N' ROSES could do that…. I wanna make some music with these motherfuckers. It's a damn good band and we should really have the opportunity to give what we can to all [the fans], and make some music for [the fans]."

Bumblefoot released a new solo album, "Little Brother Is Watching", in February. The disc was composed, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Bumblefoot at his studio in New Jersey, and also features drummer Dennis Leeflang.

Another GUNS N' ROSES guitarist, D.J. Ashba, issued a statement on Monday (July 27) saying that he was leaving GUNS N' ROSES. His statement read in part, "It is with a very heavy heart and yet great pride that I announce that I've decided to close this chapter of my life and encapsulate the wonderful times that I've shared with GUNS N' ROSES into fond memories. I have reached a point in my life where I feel its time to dedicate myself to my band SIXX: A.M., my adoring wife and family, and to the many new adventures that the future holds for me."

Ashba added: "I want to take a moment to thank Axl from the bottom of my heart for not only the most incredible experience of my life, but for truly believing in me. You are a true friend and a champion of mine and I am forever grateful. And even as I move on to pursue other endeavors, I will always remain one of your biggest fans. I also would like to thank each and every one of you fans for your love and support throughout the years."

Ashba said earlier in his statement that working with GUNS N' ROSES was "the most incredible journey I could have possibly imagined."

FOR TODAY, the American Christian metalcore band from Sioux City, Iowa, has inked a deal with Nuclear Blast. The label will release the incendiary group's next album internationally.

Said Markus Staiger, owner of Nuclear Blast: "I am very happy to work with one of my absolute favorite American bands, FOR TODAY. This band is unique in their mission, style and message. They have delivered a killer album and it is such an amazing opportunity to sign FOR TODAY to Nuclear Blast during this time."

The story of FOR TODAY remains one of triumph. Breaking out of Iowa is hard enough. When you're playing heavy music with a Christian message, it's even harder. Still, the quintet — Mattie Montgomery (lead vocals), Ryan Leitru (lead guitar, vocals), Brandon Leitru (bass), Sam Penner (rhythm guitar), and David Puckett (drums, percussion) — consistently perseveres.

FOR TODAY's last album, "Fight The Silence", came out in 2014 via Razor & Tie. The Will Putney-produced effort was the band's fifth full-length overall and follow-up to 2012's "Immortal" and 2013's "Prevailer" EP.

Chuck D of PUBLIC ENEMY joined ANTHRAX on stage last night (Wednesday, July 29) at the House Of Blues in West Hollywood, California to perform "Bring The Noise", the song ANTHRAX and PUBLIC ENEMY recorded together in 1991. Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Asked in a 2013 interview with The National Student if he thinks the backlash in the collaboration ANTHRAX did with PUBLIC ENEMY helped to form any of the nu-metal music today, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian said: "You know, people ask us, do we think we created certain genres of music that the press named after we did what we did with PUBLIC ENEMY. I never thought we invented it. It certainly opened a door, even just a window for people to jump out of. I truly believe that RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE were the band that drove a train through that door; they took the influences in their individuals and came together to make a band out of it. Whereas with us and PUBLIC ENEMY, it's not like ANTHRAX became a rap group and it's not like PUBLIC ENEMY became a metal group, we just collaborated together and did something great. We didn't then become one unit and continue to make music like that. Whereas, RAGE AGAINST were that unit and this is the music that they were creating from their souls which blew up massively on a worldwide level. So I think if anything, whether or not they'd want the credit for it, it's definitely RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE for me that created rap metal, nu-metal, whatever you want to call it. Everything that came after them showed that a direct line had to go back to RAGE. The only thing I can personally take credit for is, there have been guys in bands that have come up to me and personally told me the influence that we bring to them specifically some of the dudes from LINKIN PARK told me years and years ago that the first concert they ever saw was ANTHRAX and PUBLIC ENEMY in Los Angeles. And they left that show saying that's the kind of band we want me to make. I know the guys in RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and I know Tom [Morello, guitar] and he was a fan of ours and PUBLIC ENEMY's and what we did. I'm not saying 'Bring The Noise' was a direct responsibility for RAGE, but I know that it's something they are certainly fans of."

In a separate interview with the Cleveland Music Examiner, Ian stated about ANTHRAX's original decision to record a cover of "Bring The Noise": "By that point, there was a new audience, and we certainly reached a lot of new people with that PUBLIC ENEMY track. People who maybe weren't into what we'd done before, or who weren't metalheads. So that track crossed over for us and took us into a new zone. But it's funny, because we haven't done anything rap or crossed over since 'Bring The Noise', yet people once again still talk about it, which shows me how special it was. People still want to hear it and people still reference it all the time, and it's almost 25 years old. And sometimes we're categorized as a 'rap metal' band, when we only ever did the two songs — other then maybe screwing around with 'Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun' with the BEASTIE BOYS as a B-side — but yeah. People still talk about it as if that's what we do."

ANTHRAX's version of "Bring the Noise" was featured on "Attack of the Killer B's", a compilation album of B-sides, covers and rarities, which was released in June 1991.

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman Metalholic.com that he is a huge supporter of BABYMETAL, the offshoot of the Japanese pop idol group SAKURA GAKUIN that performs a distinctly Japanese mix of schoolgirl J-pop and heavy metal.

Takayoshi Ohmura, the guitarist in Friedman's own solo band, is also the guitarist in BABYMETAL, whose members wear gothy schoolgirl costumes, do choreographed dance routines and bang their heads violently.

"I think the best thing about BABYMETAL is the fact that it's very polarizing: you have to either absolutely love 'em or you totally hate 'em," Marty said (hear audio below). "And I think that's the mark of great things. Of course, I love them and have supported them since the beginning. The guitarist in my solo band over [in Japan] is also the guitarist in BABYMETAL. So I definitely… I'm a huge supporter of them, and I think they are a fantastic, fantastic unit. But I could totally see a metal purist go, 'Hey, this is not right. This is not what metal is supposed to be. I can't stand it. It's just not… No. No way. No fucking way.' I totally get it. But that's what I also love about them. I mean, it breaks a lot of rules, and I'm all about breaking rules."

He continued: "If you've seen some of the stuff I've done in Japan, I have injected my own metal into very, very pop situations, where metal shouldn't go, but because it's me, and because it's the way I did it, it worked, and it happened, and it existed. So I kind of forced it. And I think that spirit is very metal. But there are a lot of purists out there, especially in America, who look at that and just go, 'No fucking way!' And I totally get it; I don't have a single thing against these people. But that's what I love about BABYMETAL: it's very polarizing. And I think that my whole musical concept is also very polarizing. But I can tell you that it's just the way that I am as an artist, and you really can't go out there trying to please anyone other than yourself. If people wanna join the party, it's great, and you love 'em when they do, but I certainly don't think any less of people who disagree with my opinion."

As previously reported, BABYMETAL has signed with RAL/Sony Music Entertainment for the U.S. release of the band's 2014 critically acclaimed self-titled debut album. The CD features two bonus tracks and was made available digitally on May 12 and physically on June 16.

"Babymetal" was released via earMUSIC in Germany, Sweden, Finland and Spain on May 29, in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Holland, Poland, Switzerland, Norway and Denmark on June 1, and in Italy on June 2

The European release was made available as the standard edition as well as a deluxe edition that includes a bonus DVD compiling six music videos from BABYMETAL.

Since forming in 2010, BABYMETAL — the young trio of 17-year-old Su-Metal (vocal, dance) and 15-year-olds Yuimetal (scream, dance)and Moametal (scream, dance), backed by a four-piece band packing a heavy metal arsenal — has already achieved two major debut singles — "Ijime, Dame, Zetta!" and "Megistune", both of which ranked in the Top 10 Oricon Chart in Japan. Their first studio album, "Babymetal", also earned the #1 spot on Japan's album chart and Billboard's World Album Chart. The official live music video for their debut album's lead single, "Gimme Chocolate!!", has garnered over 24.5 million views on YouTube.

2014 saw BABYMETAL headline numerous sold-out shows from New York to London, including the 20,000-capacity Saitama Super Arena in Japan. They performed at major festivals in multiple countries such as the U.K.'s massive Sonisphere in front of 65,000 festival goers and supported Lady Gaga on her "Artrave: The Artpop Ball" tour.

Friedman has announced his first tour of North America since 2003 — a 21-date headlining run that will kick off September 9. The trek marks the latest leg of Friedman's ongoing world tour in support of "Inferno", his solo album that so far has seen him complete a record-breaking tour across South America; perform extensively in Europe with acts such as Gus G. (FIREWIND, OZZY OSBOURNE), ARCH ENEMY and KREATOR; and play multiple high-profile gigs in his current home country of Japan, including a set at the country's largest heavy metal festival, Loud Park.

The upcoming North American leg of the "Inferno" tour will start in Friedman's former hometown of Baltimore and wrap up on the West Coast on October 3. Support will be provided by the Los Angeles-based extreme shred outfit EXMORTUS.

Sierra Mountains-dwelling blackened death miscreants, Valdur, offer up the visual companion to "Blessings Of The Goat”. The latest war hymn comes by way of the band's Pathetic Scum opus, unleashed via Bloody Mountain Records late last month.

Offers Valdur in a collective statement, "This song and video represent how our 'freedom and will' to make this music conflicts with how these same creative desires tie us down, like an addiction or an obsession...in the darkest and most enlightening of ways......"

Featuring past and current members of Weverin, Endless Blizzard and Plutocracy, Valdur was forged at the turn of the century in a small mountain town located in the pulsating heart of the Sierra Mountains where the Death Valley desert lands meet the ascending Mt. Whitney and where the unholy collective dwells without interference of fashionable scenes or rulebooks.

Pathetic Scum was captured entirely at the band's clandestine Bloody Mountain Bunker, mixed by drummer Matthew and mastered by Dan at Morbid Mastering, Pathetic Scum picks up where the repugnant sounds of 2013's critically-adored At War With left off. Featuring the addition of new guitarist, Vuke, the record seethes with a blizzardy onslaught of warring riffs, bestial blasts, wrath-fueled vocal offensives and an overwhelming atmosphere of pandemonium, trepidation and all-encompassing ruthlessness.

Pathetic Scum is out now digitally and in digipak format via the band's own Bloody Mountain Records here, where you'll also find the record streaming in its diseased entirety.

Aborted have begun writing new material for their follow-up to The Necrotic Manifesto and are gearing up to enter the studio later this year. With anticipation is at an all time high, the band has released the following guitar playthrough video.

Watch Danny Tunker and Mendel Bij De Leij play through "The Necrotic Manifesto" below:

The band had this to say on the coming of new material: "2014 and 2015 have been insanely busy years for Aborted. The Necrotic Manifesto marked the most intensive touring cycle the band ever had, we played every continent on the globe and met some great people along the way. Things haven't been quiet in our camp since and we will continue to bring you some more gore ridden metal! That's right we have begun writing the follow up to The Necrotic Manifesto, we will begin recording by the end of the year, so expect a release by spring time 2016.

“We have some BIG surprises planned for the record, more about that later... We will continue our onslaught doing headline tours in South Africa, Egypt and Israel before the end of the year and a handful of very exclusive european shows so if you want to see us destroy things, come on say what's up before the year is over! Death metal has never been so alive in our hearts and we would like to thank each and every one of you who came out to a show in the last couple years, bought an album or a shirt and supports the band in any way, we could not be doing this without you! Here's a pretty sweet guitar play through for all you shredders out there!"

Aborted will join Kataklysm on their Of Ghosts And Gods European tour 2016. Also on the bill for the shows is SepticFlesh.

Japanese melodic death metallers, Gyze, are streaming a full concert, filmed at Tsutaya O-East in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan on June 11th. Watch below:

Gyze released their new album, Black Bride, on June 9th via Coroner Records. The album was mixed and mastered by Ettore Rigotti at The Metal House Studio (Disarmonia Mundi, Blood Stain Child, Destrage, etc.).

The official lyric video for MOTÖRHEAD's new song "Electricity" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's much-anticipated 22nd studio album, "Bad Magic", which will be released on August 28. Bristling with thunderous attitude, pioneering spirit and some of the fiercest rhythms and riffs that'll beat your ears into submission this year, "Bad Magic" is a massive kick in the teeth for anyone who dared believe it might be otherwise. Indeed, if those people still remain, they would do well to grab some big fat earplugs, fall to their knees and pray like buggery, because big-rig head crushers like "Thunder & Lightning" and the especially l-o-u-d "Teach 'Em How To Bleed" show that MOTÖRHEAD are as strong, mean, loud, relentless, uncompromising and goddam heavy as ever. Drawing on their own vast catalogue of road-warrior freewheeling rock'n'roll spirit, "Bad Magic" also strides confidently into some of the earlier attitudes of Motörmusic. Written and recorded in the studio together, for the first time in the Kilmister/Campbell/Dee era, the more "live" approach to creating "Bad Magic" has obviously paid dividends in this regard. There is the driving malevolence of "Choking On Your Screams", with Lemmy in magnificently omnipotent vocal mood, "Electricity" carries a hefty chunk of punk attitude married with some of Phil Campbell's best lead work in years, while "Shoot Out All Of Your Lights" is all devilish, greasy biker-borne-screw-you-and yours, Mikkey Dee's tribal drums pounding out a great path for more Kilmister proclamations. The boys even enjoyed a guest appearance from QUEEN's Brian May on "The Devil", adding a scintillating solo on this thunderous Motörstomper. Produced at NRG Studios with long-time producer Cameron Webb, "Bad Magic" came together after a couple of years which saw MOTÖRHEAD enjoy their most successful international era in over two decades off the back of their last release "Aftershock". Lemmy also finally decided to face the fact he is flesh, blood and mortal like all of us, adjusting his lifestyle to kick the ass of health issues and re-emerging stronger, leaner and meaner than ever. His own personal performances on "Bad Magic" rank as some of the most wide-ranging and unique he has delivered in years, and on the ballad "Until The End", Lemmy opens up with equal levels explanation and intent on the simple but important matters which life conjures for us all. Add to all of this a wonderfully executed, gritty delivery of THE ROLLING STONES classic "Sympathy For The Devil", and it will be clear to anyone with a pair of ears that "Bad Magic" is MOTÖRHEAD's finest work in over two decades.

"Bad Magic" track listing: 01. Victory Or Die02. Thunder & Lightning03. Fire Storm Hotel04. Shoot Out All Of Your Lights05. The Devil06. Electricity07. Evil Eye08. Teach Them How To Bleed09. Till The End10. Tell Me Who To Kill11. Choking On Your Screams12. When The Sky Comes Looking For You13. Sympathy For The Devil (THE ROLLING STONES cover)

You can also expect the road to get its ass-kicked by MOTÖRHEAD once again in the last half of 2015! Starting in mid-August, there will be a North American tour with ANTHRAX which ends with the now-legendary Motörboat cruise between September 28 and October 2 from Miami, Florida to Nassau in the Bahamas, also featuring SLAYER and ANTHRAX among a bumper lineup of bands. And MOTÖRHEAD's 40th-anniversary European winter tour will start on November 15 at Le Zenith in Paris, ending on December 6 at the Hartwell Arena in Helsinki, Finland.

FAITH NO MORE's live video for the song "Superhero" can be seen below. The clip was filmed on May 8 at The Fillmore in Detroit, Michigan. The track is taken from "Sol Invictus", FAITH NO MORE's long-awaited follow-up to 1997's "Album Of The Year", which sold around 31,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 14 on The Billboard 200 chart (which includes stream activity). The CD, which was released on May 19 via the band's newly formed imprint Reclamation Recordings, which is distributed by Ipecac Recordings, also landed at No. 2 in Australia, No. 4 in Germany and No. 6 in the U.K.

Regarding FAITH NO MORE's musical approach on "Sol Invictus", bassist Billy Gould said: "What I can say is that I think through our experience as musicians over the years, I think what we're doing reflects where we've gone since we made our last record as FAITH NO MORE. I think this kicks things up a notch. And I think there's parts that are very powerful and there's parts that have a lot of 'space.' Everything we do, with our chemistry, the way we play; it's always going to sound like us. It's just what we do, that makes us feel good."

Gould added: "When we split up, we explored what we could do on our own. During that time, we each developed what was a natural part of ourselves. Now, coming back, we have a wider perspective so we can do things we didn't even think of back in the day. If we were to decide to do country-western music, it would still sound like a FAITH NO MORE album. Together we have a strong collective identity, and when we work together it makes its own animal."

Asked if FAITH NO MORE wanted to retain creative control by deciding not to align itself with a major label for the release of the band's comeback album, "Sol Invictus", Gould said: "Well, yes, kind of. We were free. We didn't have to go to a major, and we could kind of call our own shots and do it how we wanted to. And I think it just took all the edge off these other things and these details that we had to do that, when you add other people into the mix, you're getting pressured, you're getting asked to do things you don't wanna do. Also, one of the things it took us so long to think about making a new record is because it's not just making a record; it means you're gonna have to tour, it means you're gonna have to start doing press, it means you've gotta start doing all this. There's a lot of shit that comes with that. And when you do it with a major, there's nobody that you can talk to about accountability as far as... I don't know… something simple, like, 'You want us to do a video? Who wants us to do a video?' 'Well, the guy down in that office down there.' I never met him before. In this kind of situation we have here, we know everybody, we can talk to everybody. And it's, like, 'We need this video. We need it for this.' 'Okay. Let's make it happen.' And we know that the content that comes out of is our content, how we want it, and not some guy in an office who thinks they know who we are who's giving this in front of all these people and embarrassing us, for example. Which happened a lot, actually. Even though we had a great label back in the day, but it's an office of people who are not in our band, who [don't] know us as well as we know ourselves."

"Time Every Time", the new video from ART OF ANARCHY, the new band featuring Scott Weiland (STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, VELVET REVOLVER) on vocals, John Moyer (DISTURBED) on bass, Jon and Vince Votta on guitar and drums, and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (GUNS N' ROSES) as co-guitarist and producer, can be seen below. The song is taken from ART OF ANARCHY's self-titled debut album, which was released on June 2 via Century Media imprint Another Century.

Said Thal: "Dale 'Rage' Resteghini has an extensive list of metal videos that he directed. He knows how to capture energy and intensity in a live performance. We met years ago on the road with GUNS and I’ve also been on set with him shooting one of his many hip-hop videos. He always has a great team and everyone gives it their all."

He continued: "This is a straight-up 'here we are doing what we do' video. A band playing their song. Bright lights and silhouettes, everyone diggin' in after a bunch of takes and knowing they got the shots they need. Some silliness starts to kick in when the camera's facing the other way, as soon as the camera's heading back it's like the teacher turning toward you and you quickly hide the note you were passing in class. [Laughs] But when the camera's in your face you snap out of it quick and get real.

"It was an accomplishment making these videos and capturing what seems to be chapter one for the band. This is life — things don't go as planned, it's about picking yourself up and coming back stronger. That'll be chapter two."

Weiland recently denied that he was ever a member of ART OF ANARCHY, explaining that he was paid to contribute to the group's CD as a session musician and a songwriter.

"It was a project I did where I was just supposed to have written the lyrics and melodies for this band that I'd never heard of, and I was paid to do it," Weiland told The Daily Beast. "And so I did it, and did some production work on it, and the next thing I knew there were press releases that I was in the band. I mean, I did one photo shoot with them, 'cause it was part of the deal, but I'm not in the band."

He added: "I wish them all the best once they find a singer, I hope they do well, but [SCOTT WEILAND AND THE WILDABOUTS] is my band."

In addition to Weiland, the recording lineup for ART OF ANARCHY's first album included GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and DISTURBED bassist John Moyer. The rest of the lineup is filled out by Jon Votta on guitar and Vince Votta on drums.

In a statement to Rolling Stone, Thal wrote that "ART OF ANARCHY is not competition or a threat or interference to what any of us are doing — it's a complement, an addition, one I'm proud of creatively."

He continued: "[There is] no need to minimize or undermine or devalue a project we all worked on together over the course of two years.

"I enjoyed working with Scott… The five of us made an album together. Scott is currently the singer of the band. It's in writing; no confusion. But yes, Scott's solo album and tour are his priority and we're all on the same page about getting another vocalist if ART OF ANARCHY hits the road. But we don't need to cross that bridge just yet. Taking everything as it comes, one step at a time, letting it evolve organically. Where it goes from here (and with who!) is yet to be seen."

ART OF ANARCHY is the brainchild of Thal and the Votta brothers, who have been friends for 18 years dating back to their days on the New York music scene.

Thal also serves as producer and engineer on the album.

Weiland is no stranger to supergroups, having formed VELVET REVOLVER with several former members of GUNS N' ROSES more than a decade ago.

He was dismissed from that band in 2008, rejoining STP until they also fired him in early 2013. He and THE WILDABOUTS will put out a new album in March.

Thal has been with GUNS N' ROSES since 2006, playing on the 2008 album "Chinese Democracy". He has also released a number of solo CDs.

Moyer has been DISTURBED's bassist since 2004. The band will release its new album, "Immortalized", on August 21.

Commented drummer Tiger: “About ten years ago, when we - independently of one another - moved to Berlin, we just wanted to break free from home and do something new. I thought it was comfortable, to blend in and just live from day to day. A lot of very long nights and so many completely different people at one place. Where there are opposites you can always ground yourself. We’re all different, come from different places but have managed to create something together we all like. I think the Berlin lifestyle has influenced our band very much and therefore fits perfectly as the album’s title.“

Furthermore the band has announced to tour Europe this winter. Find the dates here.

“Mist & Shadow”, a track from The Sword’s upcoming High Country album, is streaming below:

Acknowledging their fans’ undying loyalty to the vinyl format, The Sword has created unique colored vinyl of their new release, High Country, for different territories.

Two of the vinyl are currently available for pre-order at Merchnow and Indiemerch,while the others will be available on release day August 21st. Different colors are available for the US/Canada, UK, Europe, and Australia. The band has also created a unique vinyl that will be sold through the Napalm Records website in Germany, separate from the ones available throughout Europe.

“Empty Temples”:

“High Country”:

Dates for the first international leg of the High Country tour are below:

Florida’s Devil Gone Public unveils their new music video for the single “Ghosttown”, off of the EP Fearful Symmetry. The video features heavy metal imagery mashed with clips of the band rockin’ in a Florida field.

The song “Ghosttown” is a groove metal track reminiscent of heavy southern bands such as Down and Corrosion Of Conformity. The video can be seen below, and their EP Fearful Symmetry is available now at this location.

Based out of Sarasota, Florida the heavy metal band consists of Garrett Connor Moore on vocals, Alex Rappaport on guitar, Kenny Iversen on bass, and Brandon Thrift on drums. The group is influenced and has a similar style to bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, and Pantera.

After forming in April of 2014, the band quickly gained a loyal fan base by performing many shows around the South West Florida area and earning opening slots with bands such as He Is Legend, Maylene and The Sons of Disaster, and Wilson.

Ending the long promotional tour for The Great Execution, death metal maniacs Krisiun took the opportunity to give a taste of what will be featured on their new album, Forged In Fury, during a sold out show in São Paulo, Brazil. Multi-cam footage of the band performing the new track “Ways Of Barbarism” can be seen below:

Krisiun are streaming “Scars Of The Hatred”, the lead track from their new album, Forged In Fury, which is set to be released worldwide via Century Media Records on August 7th.

Featuring cover artwork by renowned artist Joe Petagno (Marduk, Vader), Forged In Fury was produced by Erik Rutan. As the brain and heart of death metal masters Hate Eternal and former guitarist of Morbid Angel, Erik Rutan has worked as a producer for his own band as well as for Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under, Malevolent Creation, Madball, Agnostic Front, to name just a few - additionally, he also co-produced Krisiun’s Conquerors Of Armageddon album back in 1999.

Forged In Fury tracklisting:

“Scars Of The Hatred”
“Ways Of Barbarism”
“Dogma Of Submission”
“Strength Forged In Fury”
“Soulless Impaler”
“Burning Of The Heretic”
“The Isolated Truth”
“Oracle Of The Ungod”
“Timeless Starvation”
“Milonga De La Muerte”

“Scars Of The Hatred”:

Krisiun is extremely proud of their new opus and had this to say about the album and their work with producer Erik Rutan:

“Forged in Fury” marks our return to the studio after 3 years of constantly touring all over the globe. Things were working well as we were always satisfied with the results of the previous records, but we thought that it was time for a change. Erik Rutan was the chosen one to be the producer, at Mana Recording Studios in Florida.

“This album could be described as a "more natural" sounding album; the songs came out with more ambience and more low-end, making it sound even more brutal and straight-forward. It took us a lot of hard work and dedication, no fashions or tendencies were followed, this is a true relentless metal album to the bone, with a huge, natural sound. The song writing captures all the experience and feelings we gathered thru all the years of touring and recording, it has more variation and dynamics, but is still 100% Krisiun.

“Erik has a huge participation within the whole process, especially with regards to the band's performance. He was able to get the best out of each one of us, as we have been friends for a long time, so it was a pleasure working with him. This album was made with a lot of heart and passion for metal music. Hopefully you metal maniacs enjoy it as much as we did working it out. See you on the road.”

The band is confirmed for various European shows and festivals this summer, followed by a North American co-headlining tour with Origin in September/October. Click here for all upcoming dates.

The lyric video for the song "Sodomites" from SOULFLY can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's tenth studio album, "Archangel", which will be released on August 14 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The CD was produced by Matt Hyde, who has previously worked with SLAYER and CHILDREN OF BODOM. The cover artwork was created by artist Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM).

Said SOULFLY mainman Max Cavalera: "I wrote this track about the wrath God which struck down Sodom for their sinful behavior. I used quotes from the Old Testament in some of the lyrics. It was also really exciting to work with Todd from NAILS on this track since I'm a big fan!"

Pre-order "Archangel" in a bundle or by itself in multiple formats and from this location.

In regards to the band and the album cover, artist Eliran Kantor states: "I've been a fan of Max's music ever since discovering 'Beneath The Remains' in high school. When my wife and I got married, 'Territory' was even played at the dance party part of our wedding.

"Max asked me to do a traditional piece depicting Archangel Michael — and I tried to go beyond the straight-up neo-classical style as that has been perfected centuries ago, so I mixed in SOULFLY's own visual world: hence the wings and spear being shaped like the SOULFLY tribal icon, the cliff with the ocean view just like on the first record, and the Brazilian flag being the core of it's color scheme." Speaking about "Archangel", Max told RockRevoltMagazine.com: "It's a very biblical, very mystic, very exotic kind of a album. This is a totally different vibe [from 2013's 'Savages']. There's songs like 'Sodomites', about the destruction of Sodom; there's songs like 'Shamash', about the Akkadian god of the sun; 'Ishtar' (since retitled 'Ishtar Rising'), which is the Babylonian queen; 'Titanomachy' (since retitled 'Titans'), which is about the war of the titans. So there's really more mystic, exotic sounds and songs and lyrics. So it's really cool. It's really artistic, the new SOULFLY, which I like about it."

In an interview with Metal Wani, Max called "Archangel" "an interesting record." He explained: "It's one of those [records] that come out once in a lifetime, an album like that comes out — really crazy sounds and very different dimensions. It's more experimental than the other stuff. It's still heavy as hell, and it's still fast. And Zyon's [Cavalera, Max's son] playing drums on it. He's actually playing really good. He reminds me of a young Dave Lombardo [SLAYER]. The fills that he's doing [are] really amazing; he surprised everybody in the studio. Matt Hyde is producing; he worked with SLAYER before. So it's really cool; a really good team."

SOULFLY will embark on a North American headlining tour at the end of September. Joining them on this epic campaign are Swedish melodic death metal visionaries SOILWORK, Polish technical death metallers DECAPITATED, and hot newcomers SHATTERED SUN.

"All I Need", a new song from DEVIL CITY ANGELS, the band originally formed by Rikki Rockett (POISON), Tracii Guns (L.A GUNS), Eric Brittingham (CINDERELLA), and vocalist Brandon Gibbs, can be streamed below. The song is taken from DEVIL CITY ANGELS' self-titled debut album, which was produced by the DEVIL CITY ANGELS bandmembers themselves in Los Angeles and was mixed in Nashville by Anthony Focx. A September 18 release is expected.

Following the recording of "Devil City Angels", Brittingham decided not to continue with the project and his spot has been taken by Rudy Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE). "It was kind of by accident how it came together, it really was," Tracii told Lithium Magazine about DEVIL CITY ANGELS' formation. "Rikki and I had done a John Entwistle/Keith Moon tribute show together. We went backstage after playing our songs and the guys backstage were all kind of chanting, 'Guns and Rocketts, Guns and Rocketts' as a joke. And we kind of laughed it off but then Rikki suddenly turned around and said, 'Guns and Rocketts' actually has a pretty nice ring to it, don't you think. So we decided right there to start a band."

Guns, who has a solo project called LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN, continued: "[LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN is] more of a vanity project. I wanted something that I could go and tour with and be in a real band. We thought of a few different players and Rikki said he knew Brandon. He said he knew this guy who was younger than us, but should have been born decades earlier. He had a real bluesy sound and played with Eric. We decided to check him out so I called him and he was a really cool dude. And before you knew it, we had him ask Eric if he was interested. He said absolutely and they flew out here a couple weeks later and we recorded [our] first song [called 'All My People']."

Regarding "All My People", Tracii said: "The song was written by Rikki and Brandon a couple of years before. They each did their parts separately and then we did the vocal tracking. They went home and I spent the rest of the time doing the lead guitar stuff. And we sent it to Anthony Focx, who is an amazing engineer and mixer who has worked with [former] METALLICA [bassist Jason Newsted] and AEROSMITH and a bunch of other bands. He is a good friend of ours and he mixed it really good and we put it out."

He added: "It was eight days from recording to releasing it. It was beautiful the way it came together, kind of old school."

Tracii also spoke about DEVIL CITY ANGELS' musical direction, saying "It's basic. It's simple. We might groove out a little more on some things and we might have a ballad or two. But other than that, we're going to keep it pretty straightforward 1977 rock. Since we have a winner with 'All My People', we are just going to stay in that framework. We feel that kind of music and Brandon surely delivers it."

A 30-second preview of a new IRON MAIDEN song from the band's forthcoming album, "The Book Of Souls", is available in the YouTube clip below.

In a recent interview with U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris was asked if singer Bruce Dickinson's cancer diagnosis at the end of 2014 affected the recording of "The Book Of Souls".

"Well, it didn't at all, because Bruce didn't know and none of us knew anything about… There was no inkling of any of it," Steve said. "He'd finished all his vocal bits completely anyway, and then there were some other bits and pieces we were doing. Really, we didn't know anything — he didn't show any signs at all. I mean, his singing, when you hear it… He's singing better than ever."

He continued: "It didn't cause any problems in that department at all. He wasn't showing any signs of being ill. I didn't even know until a few weeks afterwards, when he got his results back. It was such a shock to him and everybody else, because it just wasn't expected at all."

Bruce Dickinson told the BBC about what he has had to deal with in the past six months: "Well, I've just been through what, actually, a load of people go through every day. I mean, 'cause it's thousands of people in the U.K. and around the world who have treatment for this kind of thing. So, in that respect, the only thing that's special about it is that I'm a quite well-known person, so… But I've been fortunate. I had a really good bounceback. And everybody says, 'Hey, it's gone.' So I'm just getting better now, really — healing up."

Asked how big the tumor was, Dickinson said: "I had two, actually. One was three and a half centimeters — the size of a golf ball. And the other one was two and a half centimeters, and getting a bit bigger. And that was the only symptom — I had a lump in my neck, and that was the second one. So I went to the doc, and they went, 'Oh, that's a bit weird.' [They] took a scan of it, had a look, had a poke around, and went, 'You have head and neck cancer.' So I went, 'That's a bit of a blow' But you get on with it. You crack on and you get on with it. So… that was it."

He continued: "Funnily enough, since I was treated for it, I've met half a dozen people my age who all had exactly the same type of tumor, the same location, all had similar treatments, and they varied in age from 40 to late 60s."

Asked how the treatment has affected his voice, Dickinson said: "Well, I mean, speaking voice-wise, everything is fine. I mean, the whole thing is still healing up, so, you can imagine, to get rid of that with radiation has given it… The inside of my head has been cooked, pretty effectively. So, you know, that will all take a while to heal up and it's coming back. But, I mean, I've got… I can sing, I can talk… I haven't gone out and done the equivalent of trying to run a hundred meters in the same way that I used to sing before. 'Cause let it all calm down. I only finished coming out of treatment two months ago, for God's sake, and the doctor said, 'It'll take a year for you to be better.' Well, we've beaten that by about six months so far, but I'm not gonna try and push things to prove a point. We've got loads of time."

Harris declined to discuss how the rest of MAIDEN coped with Dickinson's diagnosis, telling the magazine: "It's such a personal matter for Bruce and the band that I don't think now is the time to talk about it. It's Bruce's story to tell when he feels the time is right. The one thing I can say is that Bruce is a trooper and more than ready for the next chapter of IRON MAIDEN. What matters now is that we've got an album coming out that I think our fans are going to love and we're all excited to share with them."

Due globally on September 4 through Parlophone Records (Sanctuary Copyrights/BMG in the U.S.), "The Book Of Souls" was recorded in Paris, France with producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley in late 2014, with the finishing touches added earlier this year. However, the band decided to delay its release so that Dickinson, who was recently given the all-clear from the tumor, would have time to recuperate sufficiently to join in the preparations for the album's launch.

The stunning cover art was created by Mark Wilkinson, who has worked with the band previously, and because this 11-track album has a total running time of 92 minutes, it is IRON MAIDEN's first-ever double studio album. There's a broader split on the songwriting compared to previous MAIDEN records, with bassist and founder member Steve Harris contributing to seven of the tracks; six of them with MAIDEN's guitarists and one sole composition. This is also the first time since 1984's "Powerslave" that an IRON MAIDEN studio album also features two tracks written solely by Bruce Dickinson, one of which is the longest song MAIDEN has ever recorded! And also two Dickinson/Smith collaborations.

Steve commented: "We approached this album in a different way to how we've recorded previously. A lot of the songs were actually written while we were there in the studio and we rehearsed and recorded them straight away while they were still fresh, and I think that immediacy really shows in the songs, they have almost a live feel to them, I think. I'm very proud of 'The Book Of Souls', we all are, and we can't wait for our fans to hear it, and especially to take it out on the road next year!"

Bruce continued: "We're really excited about 'The Book Of Souls' and had a fantastic time creating it. We started working on the album in late summer 2014 and recorded it at Guillame Tell Studios in Paris, where we'd done the 'Brave New World' album back in 2000 so the studio holds special memories for all of us. We were delighted to discover the same magical vibe is still alive and very much kicking there! So we immediately felt at home and the ideas just started flowing. By the time we'd finished we all agreed that each track was such an integral part of the whole body of work that if it needed to be a double album, then double its going to be!"

The full track listing is:

Disc 1

01. If Eternity Should Fail (Dickinson) 8:2802. Speed Of Light (Smith/ Dickinson) 5:0103. The Great Unknown (Smith/ Harris) 6:3704. The Red And The Black (Harris) 13:3305. When The River Runs Deep (Smith/ Harris) 5:5206. The Book Of Souls (Gers/ Harris) 10:27

Looking ahead to the touring cycle in support of "The Book Of Souls", Harris told Kerrang!: "Whenever we do a new album, we always go out with a new stage show; that's exciting in itself. We always feel like every show is sacred these days anyway, and I suppose even more so now after the scare with what's happened with Bruce. It makes everything more important to us."

He continued: "'The Book Of Souls' is a really powerful album, we're really proud of it, and we can't wait to come out and play new songs on the tour. We're really looking forward to it."